


Safer Binding

by CrypticGabriel



Series: Trans Sheith Week 2020 [3]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Gen, Gender Dysphoria, Misgendering, Platonic Relationships, Pre-Kerberos Mission, Trans Keith (Voltron), Trans Male Character, Trans Shiro (Voltron), Transphobia, Unsafe Binding Practices, trans work by trans author
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-09
Updated: 2020-04-09
Packaged: 2021-03-01 21:01:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,182
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23553499
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CrypticGabriel/pseuds/CrypticGabriel
Summary: Shiro has been looking out for Keith ever since he started at the Garrison, not just for grades, but their shared gender identity as well. However, red flags are being raised when he notices that Keith's got himself in an alarmingly unsafe situation.
Relationships: Keith & Shiro (Voltron)
Series: Trans Sheith Week 2020 [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1693843
Comments: 1
Kudos: 69





	Safer Binding

**Author's Note:**

> From Trans Sheith Week 2020  
> Day Three: Binding/Oral
> 
> Trigger Warnings for Misgendering and Institutional Transphobia.
> 
> VERY IMPORTANT: NEVER use bandages to bind your chest! EVER! You WILL hurt yourself! DON'T DO IT.

_Shiro was stealth. It wasn’t that_ he was trying to be, or anything, but no one seemed to tell. He didn’t want to think that it was a little messed up that his superiors, colleagues, and even students and admirers just automatically assumed he was cis, as if a trans man couldn’t possibly do all the things he accomplished.

But that wasn’t what he was in this for, anyway. Who cared what they thought? And so, he ended up staying stealth.

He’d had top surgery, and everyone just figured his tests for his disease were just taking a little longer this cycle. Thus, he now had all these binders from years of being at the Garrison and nowhere to put them.

He didn’t even realize how many he’d accumulated. There were some from when he was a first-year cadet that looked like it’d fit only half his torso. Yeah, they needed to go.

But he had no time to think about that right now. He was supposed to meet Keith for tutoring.

Shiro knew that this kid needed to succeed. He wasn’t going to let him flunk out or get kicked out for fighting. He’d vouch for him until his last breath. But he didn’t just vouch for him because of his grades and skills. He secretly defended him for his gender identity, as well.

Ever since he saw that Keith’s sex and even gender were listed as “F” on his records, he felt the impulse to guard him with his life. That was what he was afraid of happening when he himself first joined the Garrison. He wasn’t going to let Keith be treated poorly here.

Keith was frequently misgendered and deadnamed when his instructors talked about him in the lounge. They didn’t like his attitude, or his grades, or his voice was still high, whatever excuses they came up with for blatantly being transphobic. Shiro put an end to that in an “outburst” that he got written up for. Even the other students who teased him and some bullied him very easily used the correct pronouns and name for Keith (they weren’t given another option anyway, but that wasn’t the point), so there was no reason for the adults to be the cruel ones to put more salt in the wound.

The instructors had to go through sensitivity training after that. He’d lost a lot of friends for how “aggressive” his stance was on the situation, but he didn’t care. He didn’t need the friends that showed their true colors. Yet, even then, he was still considered stealth. He supposed that they figured he was just an “overly aggressive” trans ally.

He cleared his mind when he saw Keith waiting for him in one of the study rooms. There was no need to upset him by thinking about these things.

Keith looked tired, short of breath. Shiro never noticed that before. He stared at him in thought as he made his presence known, entering the room.

“Hey, Keith,” he smiled, going over to the empty seat.

Immediately, Keith’s face perked up, his breathing strangely even again. “Hi.” He managed a smile, showing the page he was on in one of his textbooks. “I’m glad you’re here. I don’t get any of this.”

“This is basic physics,” Shiro chuckled as he examined the page. “How are you supposed to pilot in space if you don’t know basic physics?”

His face grew red. “W-well, that’s why you’re here.”

Shiro laughed, relenting and going over his chicken scratched notes. “Let’s get to work.”

Shiro had to get down to basic level for Keith to understand his notes. His homework was a little trickier than the notes he was given, and internally Shiro blamed his instructor for that.

As they worked, Shiro paid attention to the sounds of Keith’s breathing again. It sounded like he was wheezing when he wasn’t short of breath like before he’d walked in. Truth be told, he sounded like he was in pain. That pain didn’t travel to Keith’s expressions, though. He was hiding it.

“I’m sorry that you have to talk to me like a kindergartener.” Keith sighed. “I’m sure your other students are much smarter.”

“Don’t worry about it,” he said. “I know you get this work deep down. You just need better explanations and examples. Here. Let me try something.” Shiro pondered. “You already used basic physics in the simulation room. It doesn’t just take finesse to get through them. Whether you’re thinking of it or not, that’s all part of physics. You’ll have to look at your work with the mindset that you’re in the simulation room.”

“I guess so…” Keith looked at the papers. “Maybe learning it is harder for me than actually doing it.”

“And that’s okay. But we have to show your instructor’s that you’re getting it.” Shiro smiled. “Alright. That about wraps things up for today.”

“Thanks, Shiro.” He slowly got up. He was short of breath again upon doing so.”

Shiro glanced over. “You okay?”

“O-oh yeah. Just anxious to get home.” Keith started to laugh but suddenly winced. He held onto the table.

“Keith!” He rushed to him. He put a hand on his back, but he noticed a rough, bumpy material underneath the uniform. “I have to take you to the infirmary.”

“No!” He heard pure fear in his voice. “I-I mean, no way. I don’t wanna go there.”

“Fine. I’ll take you in my room so we can see what’s the matter. If I feel like it’s serious, we’re going to the infirmary.”

“But it’s _not_ serious,” he pleaded in a panic. “Don’t take me there. Please.”

They walked together to Shiro’s room, which was pretty far from the library. In the back of his mind, Shiro was so worried. He didn’t want to assume the worst.

“Alright.” He quickly brought Keith in with him so he could have some privacy. He waited until the door was shut. “Take off your shirt.”

“W-what?” Keith’s face was white as a sheet. “Why?”

“Keith, your breathing sounds like shit. I need to see what’s wrong with your chest.”

“W-why do you need to see anything?” he snapped defensively.

“Then, tell me,” he said, “are you wearing ace bandages?”

He seemed like he was starting to get it, for he looked even more scared. “What would I need ace bandages for?”

Shiro really felt for him, he did. Keith didn’t want anyone to know. But this was something very serious. “Keith… you can trust me, okay? I’d never tell anyone. But you should never bind your chest with ace bandages. Ever. I have to see how bad it is.”

Keith gulped, having a white-knuckled grip on his shirt. His eyes started to water. “P-please, don’t be mad…”

That wasn’t a good sign.

Quietly, Keith removed the shirt, revealing that he indeed had ace bandages tightly wrapped around his chest. They seemed to do their job, but at what cost?

“Take them off,” he said gently. “I won’t look, alright?”

When Keith nodded, Shiro turned away, hearing the bandages slowly being removed. When Keith let him look back, he had his hands cover his chest. Shiro didn’t need to see; the light discoloration on his back spoke for itself.

“Keith! How long have you been doing this?” he gasped.

“…Every day.”

“Are you _crazy?!”_ He stepped back. “You could crush your ribs! You could ruin your chances of surgery by doing this. You could seriously get hurt!”

He heard Keith sniffle but say nothing. Shiro believed that the discoloration was from him wrapping them too tight the past couple days. His ribs didn’t appear bruised or broken when he checked.

“You are seriously lucky,” he sighed. “Put your shirt back on.”

He turned away again to let Keith do so, and that was when he heard him start to cry.

“We can go online and get you a real binder. The ship time for that will give you time to heal. Until then, you shouldn’t bind. You definitely need a break, so that you don’t injure yourself.”

That made Keith cry harder, shaking his head. “Everyone’s gonna know!” he whimpered. “I-I don’t want them to see my chest!”

“Keith… you have to,” he sighed. “I know how hard that is. I can get you a sports bra if you don’t have one. That’s the best alternative for not having a binder, not bandages. It will only be for a few days…” He chuckled at the memory. “You should consider yourself lucky. Just a year ago, my chest was three times bigger than yours.”

That confused the hell out of him. “…What?” He looked at him.

“Yeah.” Shiro smiled faintly. “No one really knows this, mostly because they never asked. I’m trans.”

“No way.” Keith sat up, wiping his eyes. “You’re lying. Seriously?”

“I’m pretty serious,” he grinned. “Six years on T, one year post top surgery.”

Keith looked him over. “Wow…” He sniffled while trying to dry his eyes. “Do you think I’ll be able to pass like you do?”

“Don’t worry about passing,” Shiro said gently. “You’re a boy no matter what. If you’ll let me, I can help you with your transition.”

He blinked. “You don’t have to… I don’t have any money. I’ll never be able to pay you back.”

“You don’t need to.” He smiled. “I want to help you, starting with getting you a proper binder. Will you let me take measurements? I’ll get a few from a sit I got mine from. They’re high quality.”

Keith still looked hesitant, but after a moment, he nodded quietly. “Okay.”

Shiro smiled. He was careful when taking measurements, wanting Keith to be as comfortable as possible. After writing them down, he went on the site.

“They have different types of colors, even nude. We’ll find one that best matches your skin tone, if you want.”

Keith shifted closer and nodded. “Sounds good.”

“Let’s just figure out what size you are.” He figured it out from a size chart, and he realized something.

Keith’s size was the size of Shiro’s binders from First Year.

“Wait a minute,” he mused. He then got up and went to his closet.

“Shiro?” Keith watched from his seat. “What’s up?”

“I know just what you need.” He then stepped away from his closet, holding eight binders in that size on hangers. “These were mine from a long time ago.”

Keith helplessly laughed. “How small were you? They look like they’d fit half of you!”

“Yeah, well… I was always a scrawny guy, believe it or not.” He grinned and slipped one of them off the hanger. “They’re exactly your size. Would you like to try one of them on?”

He blushed modestly. “Are you sure? I don’t wanna just take them.”

“Keith, I was already going to donate these,” Shiro insisted. “They’re all clean and in good condition. I’ll buy you a nude one, but I want you to have these.”

He swallowed and slowly got up. “Uh… Sure.”

Keith turned his back away from Shiro before taking his shirt off again. From behind him, Shiro told him how to properly put it on and safely flatten himself.

“What do you think?” Shiro smiled.

Keith turned a bit. His chest was flattened, and it looked much better than with bandages. The look on Keith’s face when he realized that was priceless. His eyes shined as he smiled. “It’s perfect! Y-you can’t even tell I have one on. Thank you, thank you!”

Shiro stumbled back a bit as Keith rushed to give him a tight hug, but he smiled as he returned it. “Anything to help, Keith,” he murmured. “Now, you still need to take a break at least a week before wearing these full-time, okay? And only wear them for eight to ten hours at a time. Don’t sleep in them, and stay hydrated.”

“Okay, okay,” Keith grinned. “I promise, I’ll be careful.”

“You’d better be,” he chuckled, ruffling his hair. “Now, get some rest. Come to me if you need any help at all. And I’ll see if I can get a hold of my therapist and endocrinologist to get you on hormones.”

“Hormones?” Keith looked faint, but this time it was from surprise. “Really? T-that’d be amazing.” He wiped his eyes again. “Why are you doing all this for me?”

“I told you. I believe in you, Keith.” Shiro smiled. “Not just in grades, either. You deserve to live your best life. I’ll do anything I can to make that happen.”

“You’re too generous.”

Keith couldn’t help hugging him again. “Jeez, Shiro. Thank you so much.”

“You’re welcome.” Shiro rubbed his back. “All on one condition. I’d better never see you binding with bandages again.”

“Never again. I promise,” Keith insisted, smiling as he grabbed his books and new binders.

“Bye, Shiro.”

“See you soon, Keith.” Shiro smiled as he watched him leave. He stepped back over to his computer, ordering that one nude binder for him like they discussed. He saw a bright future for Keith from here on out.

**Author's Note:**

> Come yell at me on Twitter: @cryptic_gabriel


End file.
